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Mindfulness in a College Physiology Course
Sponsor: Trustees of Dartmouth College
Summary
This proposed study aims to evaluate whether integrating mindfulness into an undergraduate biology course (Mindful Physiology) influences students' trait and applied mindfulness, well-being, and physiological stress reactivity. The primary questions are 1. Would completing the Mindful Physiology course increase applied mindfulness? 2. Would completing the class increase trait mindfulness? 3. Would completing the class increase subjective well-being? 4. Would completing the class reduce physiological stress response to an acute social stressor?
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a College Human Physiology Course With Integrated Mindfulness Practice on Student Applied and Trait Mindfulness, Well-being, and Physiological Stress Reactivity (2026)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
89
Start Date
2026-03-30
Completion Date
2026-09-01
Last Updated
2026-04-08
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Biology Course with Integrated Mindfulness
The intervention, Mindful Physiology, is an undergraduate-level biology course embedded with mindfulness practices. Over 10 weeks, students attend 19 110-minute sessions that combine didactic lectures, labs, and quizzes with \~20 minutes of mindfulness practice daily, in the tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh's Plum Village Zen Buddhism. Students complete daily mindfulness logs (credited regardless of duration) and weekly reflections on course content or practice. Students are encouraged to practice for 15 minutes daily outside of class, at least 5 days a week. They are also required to attend a group mindfulness session of 30 mins or longer each week. Students are required to attend either a 4.5-hour on-campus mindfulness retreat or a two-day (16-hour) on-campus mindfulness retreat.
Locations (1)
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire, United States